Tuesday's letters: Changing world

Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, May 20, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.

To the editor: The good: In 1998, first lady Hillary Clinton met with Elizabeth Warren, who later said, “For the next 25 minutes, I pounded Mrs. Clinton with graphs, charts and projections. I explained to Mrs. Clinton how the pending bankruptcy bill, favored by the administration, would effectively dismantle bankruptcy protections for families and make it more difficult for families to hold on to their homes.”

The bill was passed by Congress but was vetoed by President Bill Clinton. Later a presidential aide explained to Elizabeth Warren, “A couple of days after Mrs. Clinton met with you, we changed sides so fast that you could see skid marks in the hallways of the White House.”

The bad: The same bill was reintroduced and passed into law by George W. Bush in 2001. Credit card giant MBNA was his single biggest campaign contributor.

The ugly: Sen. Clinton had received $140,000 in 2000 campaign contributions from banking industry executives, making her one of the top two recipients in the Senate. She voted in favor of the bill that her husband had vetoed.

I guess this is our world we live in. I just don’t like getting used to it. How about you?

Harold Hellickson

Hendersonville

Great column

To the editor: On May 4, Mike Tower had a column in the Times-News that anyone who has been or is in love should read. It was an expression of his long love for his wife. It happened to be in the paper the day before what would have been my husband’s and my 35th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, he died in September, and so we did not have the pleasure of celebrating what Mike and his wife enjoy.

All that he expressed could have been said about Don and me. So I say to all of you, please take the time to express your love and feelings while you can. You never know when that opportunity will be gone. Fortunately, Don and I were able to do so.

My thanks to Mr. Tower for the beautiful tribute to his wife, and don’t forget to pass your feelings to a loved one while you can. We need more columns like this.

Bev Johnson

Hendersonville

Wayne LaPierre

To the editor: Why in the world do so many people scorn Wayne LaPierre’s eminently sound solution for massacres — make (more) guns, with “good guys” outgunning “bad guys”?

He certainly has all the facts, the statistics backing him.

Example: We have 300 million people and as many firearms; well armed, we have a picayunish 31,000 gun deaths yearly. Conversely, the other 22 first-world countries (with many millions of people and few guns) pay through the nose with an overwhelming 8,000 or so deaths. Right on, Wayne!

We can also rest peacefully if we have guns in the home. For every “bad guy” eradicated, a measly 12 “good guys” die to suicide, accident, homicide, etc. Again, right on, Wayne!

<p>To the editor: The good: In 1998, first lady Hillary Clinton met with Elizabeth Warren, who later said, For the next 25 minutes, I pounded Mrs. Clinton with graphs, charts and projections. I explained to Mrs. Clinton how the pending bankruptcy bill, favored by the administration, would effectively dismantle bankruptcy protections for families and make it more difficult for families to hold on to their homes.</p><p>The bill was passed by Congress but was vetoed by President Bill Clinton. Later a presidential aide explained to Elizabeth Warren, A couple of days after Mrs. Clinton met with you, we changed sides so fast that you could see skid marks in the hallways of the White House.</p><p>The bad: The same bill was reintroduced and passed into law by George W. Bush in 2001. Credit card giant MBNA was his single biggest campaign contributor.</p><p>The ugly: Sen. Clinton had received $140,000 in 2000 campaign contributions from banking industry executives, making her one of the top two recipients in the Senate. She voted in favor of the bill that her husband had vetoed.</p><p>I guess this is our world we live in. I just don’t like getting used to it. How about you?</p><p><em>Harold Hellickson</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Great column</h3>
<p>To the editor: On May 4, Mike Tower had a column in the Times-News that anyone who has been or is in love should read. It was an expression of his long love for his wife. It happened to be in the paper the day before what would have been my husband’s and my 35th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, he died in September, and so we did not have the pleasure of celebrating what Mike and his wife enjoy.</p><p>All that he expressed could have been said about Don and me. So I say to all of you, please take the time to express your love and feelings while you can. You never know when that opportunity will be gone. Fortunately, Don and I were able to do so.</p><p>My thanks to Mr. Tower for the beautiful tribute to his wife, and don’t forget to pass your feelings to a loved one while you can. We need more columns like this.</p><p><em>Bev Johnson</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Wayne LaPierre</h3>
<p>To the editor: Why in the world do so many people scorn Wayne LaPierre’s eminently sound solution for massacres  make (more) guns, with good guys outgunning bad guys?</p><p>He certainly has all the facts, the statistics backing him.</p><p>Example: We have 300 million people and as many firearms; well armed, we have a picayunish 31,000 gun deaths yearly. Conversely, the other 22 first-world countries (with many millions of people and few guns) pay through the nose with an overwhelming 8,000 or so deaths. Right on, Wayne!</p><p>We can also rest peacefully if we have guns in the home. For every bad guy eradicated, a measly 12 good guys die to suicide, accident, homicide, etc. Again, right on, Wayne!</p><p><em>Joseph Haley</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>